It's been 100 years since extension services came to rural areas across the country, and in an age of much more advanced technology, with information a few clicks away, some people wonder if it is time to rethink the usefulness of the Cooperative Extension Service, Jonathan Knutson of Agweek reports. North Dakota State University Extension Service director Chris Boerboom says extension skeptics are wrong because extension is vital. "There's a lot of information available and a lot of places to get is," Boerboom told Knutson. "But [extension is] still the place to go when you want reliable, unbiased information."
But the service's value isn't always an easy sell, Knutson wrote, especially when government budgets are dwindling. South Dakota State University's extension director Barry Dunn told Knutson budget issues forced a restructuring of the service in many states. "We have to prove ourselves every day, that we really are the safe, trusted, unbiased, scientific place to go for information," Dunn said. North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana's services say they don't plan to restructure. Extension officials in at least four states say they are offering more online services for farmers.
Extension services in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Montana all say they will lose millions in funding if federal sequestration happens at the end of the year. They're also facing staff shortages as baby boomers begin to retire, with the trend being more pronounced in North Dakota where 32 county positions were filled within two years. (Read more)
But the service's value isn't always an easy sell, Knutson wrote, especially when government budgets are dwindling. South Dakota State University's extension director Barry Dunn told Knutson budget issues forced a restructuring of the service in many states. "We have to prove ourselves every day, that we really are the safe, trusted, unbiased, scientific place to go for information," Dunn said. North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana's services say they don't plan to restructure. Extension officials in at least four states say they are offering more online services for farmers.
Extension services in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Montana all say they will lose millions in funding if federal sequestration happens at the end of the year. They're also facing staff shortages as baby boomers begin to retire, with the trend being more pronounced in North Dakota where 32 county positions were filled within two years. (Read more)
2 comments:
Check out Dakotafire's story about South Dakota's Extension revamp here: http://dakotafire.net/newspapers/sdsu-extension-reorganization-is-a-work-in-progress/1988/
One of the ways they adjusted for the digital age was a focus on making an easily searchable database of unbiased information. Whether that information is being found when people search on Google is another question.
Check out Dakotafire's story about South Dakota's Extension revamp here: http://dakotafire.net/newspapers/sdsu-extension-reorganization-is-a-work-in-progress/1988/
One of the ways they adjusted for the digital age was a focus on making an easily searchable database of unbiased information. Whether that information is being found when people search on Google is another question.
Post a Comment